Stripes "Gone Wild" T-shirt with Matching Shorts

This shirt features stripes of all kinds.

Squiggly stripes and a standard black and white stripe, a stripe formed when I placed a 1 1/2 inch wide folded strip of fabric in the diagonal seam between the main panel and the side panel, and stripes created with topstitching details. 

Can you see the stripes created with the red topstitching thread and "the hemstitch" pattern on my sewing machine?

I decided to create a band of fabric to edge the hood. The stripe will "frame" the face of the wearer and create a lot of visual interest.

This is how I did that:

First, I cut out two sets of hoods in the solid red fabric.

 I measured an equal distance from the edge of the pattern down the front edge of the hood. Cut away that band of the hood ( the amount I decided on includes the seam allowance).

 Cut 2 hood bands out of a contrasting color or pattern. Since I needed the stripes of squiggles to match, and I was using scraps of that fabric to cut out this band,

 I first cut only one the the bands.

 Then I placed the first band right sides together on the fabric and exactly matched the stripes.  Now I knew that the stripes would match when I cut out the second band. 

 After cutting it out,I immediately sewed those two pieces together at the top of the hood seam allowance.

Since I didn't have to worry about ruining my only pattern because I could just print out another hood from the PDF. I cut that 3/8 inch seam allowance off of the hood stripe band, then I used the altered hood band pattern piece to cut off the red fabric that I would no longer need on one set of the red hoods. I laid the band next to the "now smaller hood," and marked the two edges that I would be sewing together later.  But first I sewed the seam along the hood, using two lines of stretch stitches sewn closely together.  I cut off the excess seam allowance to reduce bulk, press. 

Sew the band onto one hood. This becomes the outside hood. Sew the seam on the solid red hood, and this will become the lining to the hood.  

Place the hoods right sides together, pin, and then sew along the edge that frames the face. DO NOT sew the bottom edge.  I clipped the curved edges, turned the garment right side out, and pressed all seams.  

Before attaching the hood to the shirt, I did some decorative topstitching. The hood edges overlap at the neck seam, so I did not plan to insert a grommet for a string. You may want that design element in your garment.

 Whether the hoods is worn up or down,

 it still adds a wonderful design element.

 I made some matching red knit shorts to go with the outfit.

Smiles,

Deborah